Deathaura
by Shirahoshi
Summary: She was a witch. Pure as the fresh snow. But being a witch was considered at that time. So she had to die, leaving emptiness behind.
1. Afternoon

**Prepare of OOC-ness! I know that it might disturb many of you, but (please) deal with it. **

_*Rukia looked down at the golden field of wheat under her from the safety of her branch. She always liked to climb to high places, especially trees when she was young - err, younger. Being nine years old made her feel somewhat old, but not that much. Even if Renji said that she is already acting like an old woman._

_If Nee-chan would know where she is now... She'd get the scold of her life. The third one, actually.._

_She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm breeze that was playing with her hair. True, she liked cold better, but that didn't mean she should to hate warmth, right? _

_The girl frowned when her ears caught a noise that clearly did not belong to any animal that lived in the forest or the field._

_Crying._

_She jumped down from the tree with the elegance that of a cat's and started searching for the origin of the sound that disturbed the silence. _

_It - more exactly he - wasn't too hard to found. The boy, whose hair was the most shocking colour she had ever seen (not counting her flamehead friend's) was crouching next to the small stream._

_She frowned once again - she hated when boys were crying. After all, once they will have to protect their families, right? No one can do that when they cannot see because of their tears._

_"You shouldn't do that," she said._

_The boy looked at her startled. He did not hear her coming, for sure._

_"W... What?"_

_"Cry. Boys shouldn't cry."_

_"I'm not crying! Just something got into my eyes and I can't get it out! And don't tell me what to do!"_

_"Suuure," she said, rolling her eyes, then crossed her arms. "Besides, what are you doing here?"_

_"Here?"_

_"At this territory. It's not yours, so you aren't ought to be here." The boy scowled._

_"Well, this land isn't yours, either, you know."_

_"Yes, it is. It is the property of the Kuchiki, and since I'm a Kuchiki, in a way it's mine."_

_"No, it isn't," shook his head the young male. "Nature itself is the one whom this land truly belongs to." _

_The girl stared at him. _

_"You are a strange one, aren't you?"_

_"Well, you are even more strange. I saw you climbing up to that tree - girls shouldn't climb trees. Everybody knows that." There was a moment of silence._

_"You were spying on me!" _

_"I was not!"_

_"Yes, you were!"_

_"I was SO not! Who'd want to spy on a girl like you!"_

_"Repeat that, you little... Little... Aggh!"*_

The raven-haired almost-woman smiled at the memory. Ten years ago, at the exact same place. Ten years...

If she would've known what she does now, she would've never ever said something like this land is her property. But back then she did not know so many things...

*_The sun __was shining__ way too brightly that __day__. It was him, who arrived sooner - not like she really cared, after all she gave him__ the__ permission to wander around the grounds without her__, and __made sure that the__ guards know about it, too.__ She blushed at the thought what she__ was__ about to do - but this felt the right thing to do._

_"So?" asked the teenager male, looking at her. She turned her eyes away._

_"Well... Promise not to laugh, ok?"_

_"Of course."_

_"I think... I__'ve fallen__ in love with you."__ He smiled. It was a real smile, which was rare to see on his face._

_"Thank goodness__ that you said it first__. I __had no idea how to do it.__"_*

Even if only for the dumbstruck face of his, after she told him, he'll have to introduce himself to her brother, but it was worth to tell to him. And the happy years that were following after it.

And which are now about to end. That's the only way he can be really happy. After all, nobody besides her kind would want her as a wife.

"Hey, Rukia!" The female jumped slightly.

"Gosh, Ichigo... Do not scare people like that..." The carrot-top grinned.

"Sorry. So what did you want to talk about?"

"Well... I'm not sure how to say this, but I think... We shouldn't meet anymore. Or talk, for that matter." His eyes widened.

"What? What are you..."

"Please, don't interrupt. Believe me, it's not your fault. It's mine. I'm not the kind of human who you think I am. And under these circumstances... My kin is kinda dangerous to hang out, or fall in love with, although it's not really our fault. Others made it to be. So... For your and your family's safety... Let's never meet ever again. Please."

"What is this all about?" asked the boy in a startled voice. The girl did not answer but rushed past him, pushing him to the ground. When he finally managed to stand up, she was nowhere in sight.

-##-

"I'm home," he said as he opened the door, automatically avoiding the flying kick of his hyperactive father.

"Welcome home, Onii-chan!" yelled Yutu from the kitchen.

"Ichi-nii, what's wrong? You look like you've just seen an unicorn go mad," said his other sister, Karin, as she looked up from the book she was reading. (She'd have already been whipped by the other villagers several times, if they'd have known about this - a female, reading...)

"I'm fine," he said. His sister scowled.

"As if I'm gonna buy that. You're paler than a ghost!"

"I said, I'm fine!" snapped Ichigo. "Just leave me alone for a while, will you?" Karin shrugged.

"Whatever."

The next week passed slower than usual. A few times he ran into Rukia, but she always walked past him, without a word. The very few times he caught her glance, she immediately looked away.

But he could catch the flash of pain in her eyes.

He shrugged it off mentally. It wasn't his problem. Not anymore.

And yet, he couldn't help but feel concerned about her.

_"For you, and your family's safety..."_

It's not like any human would stand a chance against him. Well, they'd need a whole army at least.

He imagined as a small ball of fire appeared in his palm, and it immediately did so in real life too. He smiled as the salamander - his partner; each of _his _kind had partners from each element which were born in the exact same time as their partner was - appeared next to him, his eyes blazing red. For a reason, he liked to work with the salamander's power more than his gnome's... Although in some's opinion there should be no difference. Probably because his own personality was much more like the always moving fire than the mostly steady earth.

Of course he never told this to any of them - he'd be in a serious trouble if he'd do so. Their forgiveness is pretty hard to gain, and he doubted the village could survive without their lands go sour. They were famous for the vegetables and crops that grew on them - thanks to his and the gnome's work.

The door slapped open.

"Ichigo!" yelled Karin. The male quickly jumped down from his residence "upstairs". His sister gave her a terrified glare.

"They caught... A witch. It's... Rukia."

-#-

Yamamoto stepped forward. His cane hit the ground, hard.

"Do you protest that you are a witch?"

The girl remained silent.

"She is! I saw as she and her crows milked my cow! Ever since then it did not gave milk, not a drop!" shrieked a woman in her late fifties, bony finger pointing towards Rukia. She shot a cold glare at the woman.

"Or, possibly your cow is way too old to give milk anymore."

"She went into the forests during full moon!" yelled a man.

"I went into the forest to collect herbs that can heal your son, in case you forgot, idiot. If I did not do so, he'd be _dead,_" she hissed.

"And how do you know so much about herbs, due to not being a healer?" asked the head of the Elders. She did not answer.

"My sister, who _was_ a healer, taught me."

"She's a witch, I tell you! I've seen her talking to rabbits!" Yamamoto sighed. The last sentences came from a man, who was known as the fool of their town, but due to their laws, his words couldn't be ignored.

"These reasons still aren't enough to..."

"I know one more reason," said a light-haired woman. She smiled pleasantly.

"Inoue..." whispered Rukia.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, son of Kurosaki Ishida has either been enchanted, or love potions were used on him, that made him believe he is in love with Kuchiki. Before the beginning of this month, day not passed without him talking about Kuchiki. Ever since then, his behaviour changed, like the spell or the potion would start to lose it's power."

"That's a complete an utter lie," said Rukia.

"Really, Kuchiki? Then how comes that we've found plenty of roses in your house which are known as the flowers of love?" asked Orihime sweetly.

"Kuchiki Rukia, do you, or do you not love Kurosaki Ichigo?" asked Yamamoto. "Remember, if you lie, we'll notice that."

The girl hung her head. There was a moment of silence.

"I love him."

Triumphant smile spread across Inoue's features.Yamamoto nodded.

"But I'd never ever use a love charm on him! Nor love potions, as some would do!" she screamed - she knew well that the first sentence betrayed her, but she no longer cared; she was sure that Inoue still had something up in her sleeve, and would've used it if this one didn't work.

"Kuchiki Rukia, I think your punishment is obvious - you'll die by the Sokyoku tomorrow morning. We'll let your loved ones to say good bye to you."

"If any of them would want to see her after this, that is," whispered Inoue, loud enough to be heard only by Rukia.

The doors snapped open.

"Rukia," stared at the raven haired girl the newcomer, then his gaze wandered over to the head of the village, the twelve other elders and the present villagers. His eyes suddenly flared. "You cannot kill her!"

"Kurosaki, our decision has already been made."

"And care to tell me what gives you the right to decide whether one should live or not, old geezer!"

"Watch your mouth, kid," said a black haired man. Ichigo turned towards him, scowling.

"Should I, Byakuya? She's your sister, in case you haven't noticed. And you ordered her death. A _shame _to your family, really. Especally since she has done nothing wrong!"

"How dare a lowly..."

"Is practicing witchcraft not enough for you?" asked a woman with two braids.

"It is not, as long as she does not use her knowledge to hurt people."

"I've had enough. Kuchiki used witchcraft, which is a serious crime according to our laws, used to hurt people or not. It is still one of the dark arts that should never be used. For breaking them the punishment is death. Your punishment for questioning our decision will be decided later."

"Please, Yamamoto-sama, go easy on him. His mind must be still clouded by the love charm," said Inoue. Ichigo glared at her for a moment with open mouth then started laughing.

It had no joy in it.

"Love charm. Used. On me? Are you that blind? We all have seen people under the effect of those spells and potions, and if I remember correctly, they acted nothing like I do."

A white haired, though young looking man and another one male, who was wearing a hat, looked at each other, unsure about the whole thing.

"I'm truly sorry, Kurosaki, but her punishment will be not changed. Lead him away, and take Kuchiki to her prison cell."

"Don't you dare to touch me!" roared the carrot-top as suddenly six men appeared next to him. They immediately took a step back, noticing the wild fire in his eyes that said if they do touch him, they'll be ripped into tiny pieces. "You can't..."

"Ichigo!" yelled finally the black haired girl. "Stop. I mean it. You heard them didn't you? Go home!"

"What the... You're going to die!"

"And I've accepted it! Now... Get out of here!" She turned away from him.

"You should listen to her," said an other woman, Unohana, as she smiled sadly. The young man growled, pushed the men, who were still surrounding him aside and rushed out from the room.

Rukia looked up at he full moon. So calm and beautiful. She sighed as she leaned her head against the cool bars.

The last moon she'll ever see in her life.

"Please," she whispered to the glowing orb. "Look after them."

"Look after who?" She jumped in surprise.

"Renji! You really shouldn't do that, you know," she said, then narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you, of course."

"What... No! You can't do that!"

"And why not? Nevermind... Thinking of it, why don't you save yourself?"

"I can't. What good would it do? Even if I escape, I'd be hunted like a wild animal, like those were before me. I won't give Zaraki that pleasure."

"You are really selfish, you know."

"I'm what?"

"Selfish. What about Ichigo? Or me?" There was a moment of silence. "You were the one who said that you love him more than anything. And that you like me as an elder brother."

The pain was obvious in his voice.

"I do. That's why I'm doing this. To protect you from harm and trouble."

"You know us as somebody who is so lucky that trouble never finds him?"

Rukia let herself smile a bit.

"No, I don't."

"Thinking of it, I thought that the loverbird would be the first one to be here."

"Oh, he tried to come, I just didn't let him." Thinking about it, it was stupid that she didn't think about Renji, too. But he was much more reasonable than the other one.

"You have power to ban people from entering one place, and you do not use it to save yourself. You are a strange girl, Rukia. But I think I should respect that. Well, then... Good bye, I guess."

"Yeah. Good bye." The male started to walk towards the door.

"Renji?" He stopped and turned.

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For everything."

-í-

The sun rose surrounded by blood-red light. As if it would hurt to watch the scene in front of "her" eyes.

"Kuchiki Rukia, daughter of..."

The girl looked up at the weapon that will cause her death within a few minutes. It slowly turned into a flaming bird - people thought that it was given to them by the Holy Spirit to kill the Dark Ones in his name.

"We found you guilty in the following..."

The Priest's voice faded for her. She looked down at the crowd below, searching only for one pair of eyes, and she found them. The left side of his face was bruised and there also was a cut above his eye - not to mention the slight burn on his right cheek.

Was he trying to get in that hard?

"And today, we, the people of the..."

She noticed a head with flaming red hair behind the carrot coloured one's. Suddenly, Ichigo lunged forward, pushing through people - Renji barely could catch him, before he almost did something very stupid and dangerous. Ichigo started yelling and struggling against the obviously hurt. Another man _- Nii-sama? - _joined the two and smacked Ichigo across the face. Just then, three more men arrived, surrounding him. At first, he glared at Byakuya and the other men, then at her in silent horror and pain.

"And so shall it be."

The flames grew even higher, their colour slowly changed from angry red into somewhere between light blue, faded orange and white.

It was hot. And it was only something that helped another journey to begin.

She closed her eyes, fighting back the urge to scream as the fire made it's way towards her very core, tearing flesh and soul apart.

-..-.-.-.-.-

** This fic was inspired by the song, Deathaura from Sonata Arctica. I wanted to make it a oneshot, but it'll obviously be a two-shot at least. xD**

**Gnomes are creatures that are related to the element Earth. A salamander is the spirit of fire, "no fires could be created without one being present" according to one of my books. Silpheed is connected to air while undines are connected to water. **

**I do not know that much about elemental magic, but even so, if you do, please remember, this is a fanfiction, where I can bend the world as I like.**

**I'm more than sure that I've made grammatical mistakes and rushed a few things. I really am sorry for that.**


	2. Evening

_ Ichigo coughed violently, his whole small body was shaking in pain. _

_It hurt. Why did it hurt so much?_

_"Nii-tsan? Are you all righth?" asked a three years old Yuzu. He smiled weakly._

_"Of course."_

_"Can I go up tho you?" He suddenly started shivering._

_"N-no." The little girl's look saddened._

_"Why noth?"_

_"Yuzu," said a kind voice. "Could you go out a bit? Daddy needs you to help with the cakes."_

_"Okay!" yelled Yuzu happily and was outside within a moment._

_"Mommy," whispered the boy weakly. The woman's eyes shone with concern as her son started coughing again. "It... Burns."_

_"I know, sweetie." A glowing sphere appeared in her hands which seemingly consisted of mist and fog. It was shining with faint white, green and yellow light._

_"What is that?" She smiled._

_"Something that'll help you to be better."_

"_Can I touch it?" Masaki laughed._

_"You can try." She lowered her hand so Ichigo would be able to take a good look at the sphere. He approached it with his hand, and found out that he cannot actually touch it. But it was strange. The orb radiated off warmth and a strange like good - but it was like it was curious and scared._

_It was alive._

_"Mommy?" He looked up at his mother. She smiled down at him. So he did notice it._

_"Ichigo. I have to ask you something."_

_"Yes?"_

_"Close your eyes, and don't open them until I don't tell you to do so, no matter what you feel. Okay?" _

_"Okay." _

-..-.-.-

The young male woke up covered in sweat. He looked around - the embers, due to his and Karin's salamander taking up their residence there were still shining slightly. But it was dark outside so the sun has yet to rise.

_Great logic_, he thought grimly. _If it's dark outside then it means that it the sun is not up._

Cold breeze flew past him. Probably through one of the gasps that has yet to be covered.

But that is not possible. They've covered and filled all of them before their father left to the neighbour town.

Thinking about it, it felt like it was created within the house, not entered into the house from the outside. Well, probably only Karin's sylph was messing with him. She tended to do that.

So he laid back onto his bed and fell asleep once again.

-!+#- -

Karin was watching her brother carefully - now he really was as pale as a ghost. Not a good thing to joke about in front of him nowadays. Just yesterday he beat up a poor random lumberjack in the forest because of it - as a consequence, he'd been whipped by his friends, who did not feel the need to take him to the council of the town.

Not like it would do anything to him - ever since she could remember, her brother had this miraculous ability to heal fast - the places where the whip tore into his skin now were nothing by now but faded scars.

She wished that the injuries in his mind and soul would heal that easily. She handed him a cup of tea.

"It's not valerian, lavender and chamomile again, is it?"

"No. Although, I think you could use another cup of that. At least, Unohana-san would say so, if she'd knew about this."

Ichigo grunted. Karin replied with a scowl.

"Just to let you know, she was against it, along with Kyoraku, Ukitake and Zaraki-san. But it was still only four people against nine."

"Can we just not talk about it?"

"Yeah, and what, let you close down your feelings and thoughts from us like after mom's death? No. We can't let you to fall apart like that once again. I won't let you put us through that again."

"Whatever. Where are goat-chin and Yuzu?"

"He had to go away about two weeks to two months to the city. And Yuzu went over to one of her friends."

"I see." Suddenly he pressed his lips together, as if fighting back a scream.

"Hey, are you all right?"

"I am," snapped the male, pushing his sister's hand away. She scowled.

"Fine. I'll go and pick some herbs." She stood up and rushed out of the house.

"**How nice you are to your own sister...**"

"It is your fault that..."

"**Oh, come on. Don't be ridiculous. What could've I possibly done? I'm stuck in your head...**"

"What made you talk to me again?"

"**You think anybody could sleep while all those things are going on in your ****brains****?**"

"What do you want this time?"

"**Straight to the point as always. I want nothing else, but help you.**"

"And I'm a pink pony."

"**Really! I know that they've killed your**** little**** girlfriend - Rukia, was it? I would simply lend you my powers to take your revenge**."

"Without any back intentions."

"**Yep**."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"**Because it's one of your habits?**"

Ichigo growled.

"**Oh, come on. You know you want to**."

"I only know that you should never tell me what to do."

The creature's laugh echoed through his mind.

"**But really. I really only don't want that my powers are used even if once. Mother did not gave them to me to be wasted...**"

"She is _not _your mother."

"**Really? Who was the one who created me in order to protect your fragile health?**"

"Shut up."

"**Okaydokey. You know where can you find me if you change your mind.**"

-.g:C&Dg-

"No, no, no and no! You and your undine aren't working together at all!" Brother and sister were standing next to a small stream. Usually he wouldn't have yelled at Karin like that, but these days were anything, but usual.

"Well, I'm sorry, I cannot do it as perfect as you do! I don't get it at all, the way you've explained it!"

Ichigo took a deep breath.

"Look, I'm sorry. Let's try it again, okay?"

"Okay." So they did try it again - and Karin failed. Miserably. Ichigo's undine put his head above the water and shook it.

"You don't have to say it, I know!" yelled the girl at his brother's partner. Ichigo frowned.

"Karin..."

"You know what? I give up! This move is impossible!"

"No it isn't. You'll do it. I know you can." The young female grunted. The carrot-top scratched the back of his head. "Listen... Have you seen pictures of the ocean?"

She nodded.

"And do you know how it moves?"

"I... Do? What are you trying to say?"

"Try to imagine the ocean with the full moon in the background. But don't just imagine it - _be _the ocean herself. Your undine will be the moon that helps the water to move. _Feel _asthe water moves."

"I'm not sure if I can do it."

"You've had enough back when you were five years old to transform my head into that of a parakeet's. You can do it."

"Okay..." She closed her eyes. The ocean was majestic and velvet black with a silver bridge painted on her waves by the moon. No star could be seen. She let her mind wander off, but always keeping this picture in her mind. Suddenly she felt a thug on her left, and let her body follow it. One on the left. Upwards. Left again. And...

"AOUW!" Karin opened her eyes. Her brother was lying on the ground, soaked to the skin. Now it was her undine who came to the surface, giving an unsure look to her.

Suddenly Ichigo sat up, grinning.

"I..." began the girl.

"You did it!"

"What?"

"I said, you did it. Wash your ears out."

"You... Argh!" He smirked at her. It was worth training with his sister. He could get his mind off from other things at least.

"Hey! Karin! Ichigo! Guess what!" yelled an euphoric Yuzu. The two turned towards her. "My gnome finally told her name!"

The two exchanged evil looks.

"You know what that means, Yuzu?" asked Karin.

"Hard, hard training and a big family hug," finished Ichigo. She yelped as the two lunged towards her.

_As much as they hate to admit it,_ thought the girl, _in some ways they take after Dad. Especally if it's about family. And probably... Probably Ichi-nii might slowly getting over it..._

She hoped to be so.

-X#?V +-

"Ichi-nii?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you go to the town and buy me some sugar and flour?"

"No." Yuzu sighed.

"Come on. I'd go, but you know that Dad hates if we go in there."

Ichigo growled.

"She's right, you know," said Karin. "You can't spend the rest of your life here and make contact only with us."

"Watch me."

"Oh, I've had enough!" yelled the girl and stood up.

"Hey, what are you..." He howled in pain as a whater whip found it's way to his chin. She gave a high five to her undine, before kicking him in the exact same place.

The next thing he knew that a small bag of money was shoved into his face.

"Take it, and go already! Do something useful! Go, go, go!"

"Okay, okay!" hissed Ichigo, as his sister kept kicking and hitting him towards the door.

"And we won't let you back until you haven't bought everything!"

"Karin-chan..."

-##"+%-

The carrot-top sighed at the sight of the long, long line in front of the shop.

It'll take a time to get in there.

He also had enough of the side-glances that the people shot him.

"You know, he is the one who has been fooled by her..."

"I can't imagine how Kuchiki-sama feels. A shame to his family, really."

He scowled at a girl slightly older than his sisters, who was pointing at him surrounded by her friends. She immediately lowered her hand.

"You won't be popular amongst the ladies if you make faces like that. Instead, they'll have nightmares, you know."

It was Kyoraku Shunsuki. His scowl deepened.

"_S__he was against it, along with Kyoraku, Ukitake and Zaraki-san_..."

"Good morning, Kyoraku-san," he pressed it through his lips. Even if he was against it, he still did not do anything when the decision had been made. He could've done something. Anything. But he didn't.

"My, my, you're still making that scary face. You're too young for it."

He did not answer.

"Listen, I'm sorry for your loss. I know that it is hard for you, but the life goes on. She wouldn't want to see you like this, either."

"What do _you _know about Rukia?"

"I know that she was honorable and had a sense of duty. She also was caring and kind, especially if it was you whom she had to care about or be kind with."

His eyes wandered from the younger man to the line ahead them.

"I say, we take a walk. Probably if you come back here later there won't be so many people here."

"Kyoraku-sama!" yelled a female voice.

"Ah! I'll be there in a second, Nanao-chan. Well, it seems like I have to go..."

"Yeah."

"Ichigo-kun... All the best." He disappeared in the crowd. Suddenly the line moved forwards with a good twenty meters.

"I-chiiii-gooo!" He stepped sideways on instinct and let the brown blur crash into the wall behind him.

"Why... Did... You step... Aside..."

"Nice to see you too, Keigo."

"So. Back in town, huh?" He grinned. "Will you come to the..."

"No."

"Aww, man, you don't even know what was I about to say!"

"I have a feeling that my answer would be "no" nonethless."

The line has moving steadily now."

"But..."

"Asano, what are you... Oh, hello, Ichigo."

"Good to see you, Mizuiro."

"How are you?"

"Fine. Mostly." The brown haired male looked at the black haired one, unsure.

"That's great," said the Mizuiro. "But we must go now. Bye!"

"Yeah."

-&X##-

"I'm sorry, but we've run out of salt," said the owner of the shop. "I'm afraid, you must go to the Urahara Shoten. I'm sure that they still have some left... I truly am sorry."

"That's fine." He paid for the sugar, then left. It has been hot that day. Way too hot.

He knew the way to the shop of Urahar by heart - his dad took them there several times, as the owner was the friend of their little family.

"She totally deserved what she got..." He stopped. Two women were gossiping amongst each other. He shrugged it off.

"I agree... After everything he did to that poor boy, she dared to touch my son! I don't even want to imagine what's that poor Kurosaki boy might be going through..."

He scowled.

"Did you know that she also enchanted the groom of Masane?"

"No, really?"

"Make way!" yelled somebody. A group of five was coming up on the road, one of them carrying a long staff, with something attacked to the end of it. "Make way for the witch's skull!"

Ichigo's eyes widened.

It was the tallest man who was in charge of carrying the skull.

A skull, which's shape was way too familiar.

Rukia's. How dare they...

The bag of sugar fell onto the ground

The man pinned the staff into the ground, then a small board in front of it.

"_All witches will be facing the wrath of the Lord while burning in the flames of eternity."_

"Ha! Serves her right!" yelled a teenager as he spat into it's direction.

"Hey, son, are you all right?" asked an older woman as Ichigo started shaking.

Rotten tomato soared through the air and landed in one of the eyeholes. The crowd laughed and applauded.

"Hey, what's that?" asked suddenly somebody, pointing towards the sun, that has been almost completely covered by thick and dark layers of clouds. The wind had started blowing fiercely and become stronger and stronger by every minute.

"It's her work!" yelled a man, his voice full of fear.

Lightning crashed and they all became deaf for a moment.

"Fire! The House of the Council is on fire!"

And then all hell broke loose.

-&&&##&#-

Yuzu looked out into the storm. A tree close to the house already gave in - it was lying on the ground, leaves already dragged away by the wind. It was mere luck that it did not fell onto the house.

"Do you think that he'll be all right?"

"I do." Karin was silent for a moment. "After all, he was the one who caused it."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I've said. We all know that he does not have a good control over his powers when extremely angry. So those fools in the town might've done something that really pissed him off. I just hope that he did not start to do much more than this, because in that case our cover is blown."

"You do not know whether he started it or not! It could be natural!

"Yuzu, trees are laying all over, but our house is still standing..." "Well..." somebody knocked on the door. Yuzu immediately rushed to open it. Their brother was standing there in the pouring rain, his hair stuck onto his head because of the water. But something felt... Off.

"Nii-chan! Are you all right?"

"Step away from him, Yuzu. He's not Ichigo."

"What?" The brunette looked at her confused. The carrot-top grinned.

"Clever girl. No, I'm still not him, but as he's only asleep I can take a message. Other than that, not even a "hello" or a "long time no see"?"

"I told you that I'm grateful for what you've done, but actually, I never ever wanted to see you again."

"What are you two talking about?" Karin turned to her sister.

"Yuzu, he's Shirosaki Ogihci. He lives in Ichi-nii's soul." The girl gaped.

"Well, yeah, but currently I'm out here, and to tell you the truth, it's freezing cold. Do you want your brother to be unable to leave his bed because of it?"

"Ok. Come on in." A minute passed but Shirosaki didn't make a single move. He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"If you'd let the barrier down..."

"What?"

"The barrier. Down," repeated "Ichigo" as if he'd be talking to an idiot. Karin frowned.

"What are you... Oh."

"Yeah. Oh. Although, I must tell you, to put up a barrier on instinct is quite amazing," he said as he stepped in.

"I don't think that I can take that as a compliment from you," hissed the girl. The male shrugged.

"Do what you want. Oh yeah, here's your sugar, lil' girl," said the male as he put down a worn bag onto the table, before throwing another, although much, much smaller one to Karin. "And your money."

"What happened?" asked the brown haired girl.

"Nothing much. They brought her skull, he got freaked out, lose control, put the half town on fire, so I took over, before he did more damage to himself or anybody else. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop that freakin' storm." He felt as Karin's eyes practically burnt holes into his skin. "Don't worry too much, it' bad for your health. He'll be waking up soon."

"The skull?" whispered Yuzu in disbelief. "But... They only do that if it can be proved that the witch killed somebody! Why on the earth..."

"To inform you, I don't and neither want to know the way their twisted minds work.

Karin scoffed.

"You... As the one who complains about twistedness..."

"I did not say that I'm not twisted, but I'm very straightforward about it."

"Sure."

-&#Đ]#-

"Shirosaki." The white male raised his head, then grinned.

"Well, look at it! What did I do that you..."

"Cut it. I want you to help me."

"Oh? So you've finally made up your mind?"

Ichigo did not answer. His albino twin sighed as he stood up.

"Okay. Just don't decide to back out suddenly while we're right in the middle of it. Got that?"

-fa&[gđĐ-

**Finished it at around midnight. Nice job, me!**

**I've tried that "I write like" website with this chapter. I got Stephen King... xD**

**Valerian, lavender and chamomile: While chamomile and valerian helps too to fall asleep, it's not exactly what they do, but they ease anxiety and nervousness, so all in all they help to relax. It's lavender that helps more to fall asleep, if I'm correct.**

**Added some kind of water bending while training. xD Had to. At first I haven't even noticed.**

**I'm not sure why did I put the skull into it... Because I don't really like skeletons. O.o But people... Almost a month, and you're still talking about poor Rukia and trying to find a way to dishonor her memory even more?**

**So, am I kind enough? I gave him some family time before... I don't know what, and even if I do, I won't tell you!**

**Yeah, it was Masaki who created Shirosaki. Unfortunately something didn't go as planned, so he sucked inside the most powerful emotions Ichigo ever felt and eventually gained intelligence. The power he's talking about had indeed been given by Masaki, but she wanted only Ichigo to be able to use it... **

**Now, as you may have noticed, Shirosaki is clearly OOC. That's because he is and yet he is not exactly the original one. **

**Just something that got into my mind while writing : -**

"You do not know whether he started it or not! It could be natural!

A cow flew past the window. Karin's eyes followed it as long as they could.

"Natural. Suuure thing."


End file.
